Philadelphia abortion doctor accused of murdering patient, newborns

[Psi U MC Vito]

Honestly I don't see how you can be in social work and have no sympathy for people who made a poor choice and had the rest of their life effected by it.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

Honestly I don't see how you can be in social work and have no sympathy for people who made a poor choice and had the rest of their life effected by it.

Thank you, that's what I'm saying. It's not about one's politics or beliefs on abortion itself, it's being able to understand and empathize with your clients.

[DaemonSeid]

Somewhat related...

Planned Parenthood loses Federal funding BY HOUSE VOTE.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Somewhat related...

Planned Parenthood loses Federal funding.

One chamber of Congress has voted on it, it's not a done deal. Stop with the sensationalism.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

One chamber of Congress has voted on it, it's not a done deal. Stop with the sensationalism.

It's possible it will happen, though. And IMO that's scary. Federal funding isn't used for abortions but PP and other organizations like it provide birth control, STD testing, and prenatal care cheap. That's a big deal for those without healthcare.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

One chamber of Congress has voted on it, it's not a done deal. Stop with the sensationalism.

It's not sensationalism, it's awareness.

Just because you don't agree with abortion doesn't mean you have to try to shut the story down.

And alumiyum is right, think of how much is lost if this does push through.

If somehow, you need help and have no insurance, you will have hardly any to no other alternative if Planned parenthood is gone.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

It's not sensationalism, it's awareness.

Just because you don't agree with abortion doesn't mean you have to try to shut the story down.

I said nothing about shutting the story down. In fact, I think it would be terrible for PP to lose funding, since they are a birth control provider. Less access to birth control = more "birth control" abortions.

However, your link title is false...that's what I'm objecting to. This has only passed the House and still has to go to the Senate. They have not yet lost federal funding.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I said nothing about shutting the story down. In fact, I think it would be terrible for PP to lose funding, since they are a birth control provider. Less access to birth control = more "birth control" abortions.

However, your link title is false...that's what I'm objecting to. This has only passed the House and still has to go to the Senate. They have not yet lost federal funding.

Then all you needed to say was "DS can you please fix the title."

And it's done.

[PiKA2001]

I think PP should split into two different agencies; One that does the abortion stuff and one that handles all the non abortion services. According to the radio news they make most of their money off of abortion services, so that side of PP could fund itself while te other side could still receive Gov funding w/o all the controversy.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I think PP should split into two different agencies; One that does the abortion stuff and one that handles all the non abortion services. According to the radio news they make most of their money off of abortion services, so that side of PP could fund itself while te other side could still receive Gov funding w/o all the controversy.

I don't understand this... Only 3% of Planned Parenthood's "business" is abortion services according to their 2007 data.

This is how it breaks down:
- 36% Contraception
- 31% STI Testing and Treatment
- 17% Cancer Screening and Prevention
- 11% Other Women's Health Services (Prenatal care, pregnancy tests, midlife care, infertility services)
- 3% Abortion Services (305,310 abortions in 2007)
- 2% Other Services (Primary care for women and men, adoption referrals)

The income from their centers only makes up 36% of their funding (which, is actually the largest percentage.
Government grants make up 34%, contributions and bequests make up 24%, and "other" makes up 6%.

I'm assuming that the person on the radio meant that most of the money that comes through the centers is made in abortions, since 58% of PP's money comes from the government and contributions. My source doesn't say what services are the "money makers" but at only 3% of the services offered it makes it unlikely that that's where they make all their money, especially considering a lot of people go to them for contraception (I'm not talking condoms although you can get those there too, I'm talking birth control pills, for the most part).

I know they offer a lot of services for free or really cheap, but their abortion services are cheap, as well, compared to an independent practitioner.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by agzg

I don't understand this... Only 3% of Planned Parenthood's "business" is abortion services according to their 2007 data.


I'm assuming that the person on the radio meant that most of the money that comes through the centers is made in abortions, since 58% of PP's money comes from the government and contributions. My source doesn't say what services are the "money makers" but at only 3% of the services offered it makes it unlikely that that's where they make all their money, especially considering a lot of people go to them for contraception (I'm not talking condoms although you can get those there too, I'm talking birth control pills, for the most part).

I know they offer a lot of services for free or really cheap, but their abortion services are cheap, as well, compared to an independent practitioner.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/AR08_vFinal.pdf

Yeah, I meant to say that abortion services is the "money maker" for PP, not their main source of income.

Which I can totally see if they offer most services for free yet charge $300 per abortion.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

Yeah, I meant to say that abortion services is the "money maker" for PP, not their main source of income.

Which I can totally see if they offer most services for free yet charge $300 per abortion.

They have to charge for these (even at reduced rates) because federal funding cannot be used for abortions (but can for all their other services).

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by agzg

They have to charge for these (even at reduced rates) because federal funding cannot be used for abortions (but can for all their other services).

At some point they have to pay for the costs involved, but PP isn't involved in making a profit on any of their services.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I think PP should split into two different agencies; One that does the abortion stuff and one that handles all the non abortion services. According to the radio news they make most of their money off of abortion services, so that side of PP could fund itself while te other side could still receive Gov funding w/o all the controversy.

In many places it already is. They'll have Planned Parenthood and Planned Parenthood Surgical Services as two seperate entitities, but that doesn't make for good copy.

[DaemonSeid]

what the eff?? How do you punish someone for a natural process?

News from Georgia on Miscarriage Bill by Rep Bobby Francis

By Jen Phillips

It's only February, but this year has been a tough one for women's health and reproductive rights. There's a new bill on the block that may have reached the apex (I hope) of woman-hating craziness. Georgia State Rep. Bobby Franklin—who last year proposed making rape and domestic violence "victims" into "accusers"—has introduced a 10-page bill that would criminalize miscarriages and make abortion in Georgia completely illegal. Both miscarriages and abortions would be potentially punishable by death: any "prenatal murder" in the words of the bill, including "human involvement" in a miscarriage, would be a felony and carry a penalty of life in prison or death. Basically, it's everything an "pro-life" activist could want aside from making all women who've had abortions wear big red "A"s on their chests.

I doubt that a bill that makes a legal medical procedure liable for the death penalty will pass. The bill, however, shows an astonishing lack of concern for women's health and well-being. Under Rep. Franklin's bill, HB 1, women who miscarry could become felons if they cannot prove that there was "no human involvement whatsoever in the causation" of their miscarriage. There is no clarification of what "human involvement" means, and this is hugely problematic as medical doctors do not know exactly what causes miscarriages. Miscarriages are estimated to terminate up to a quarter of all pregnancies and the Mayo Clinic says that "the actual number is probably much higher because many miscarriages occur so early in pregnancy that a woman doesn't even know she's pregnant. Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn't developing normally."

Holding women criminally liable for a totally natural, common biological process is cruel and non-sensical. Even more ridiculous, the bill holds women responsible for protecting their fetuses from "the moment of conception," despite the fact that pregnancy tests aren't accurate until at least 3 weeks after conception. Unless Franklin (who is not a health professional) invents a revolutionary intrauterine conception alarm system, it's unclear how exactly the state of Georgia would enforce that rule other than holding all possibly-pregnant women under lock and key.